10 Lazy Ways To Squeeze A Little Exercise Into Busy Days

There are a lot of us baby-boomers. I think we all recognize that the ease with which we used to discard a few extra kilos, no longer quite works as quickly as it used to in our twenties and thirties.

Many of us also have lifestyles that place greater demands on our time and energy. Some of us are no longer willing to spend the hours at the gym or on the road jogging, like we used to. So here are some ideas for getting movement squeezed into a fast paced schedule. Many of these you may have seen before, however how many have you actually incorporated into your life? It’s always good to be reminded.

Have music I your kitchen or wear your iPod then dance as you cook or do the dishes. Same with any housework activity such as hanging up the washing – go ahead, wiggle those hips! Measure a walking distance in your back garden. Take 4-minute breaks from computer work or any other sedentary activity e.g. my distance measured is 30 metres. Five times each day I drink a 200ml glass of water and directly follow that with 7x30metre walks. This way I get to walk 7 km per week and drink one litre of water daily.

Get a hands-free phone and headset. When having that hour-long conversation with a close friend or family member, walk around the back garden as you chat. Make it a habit for all lengthy calls.

Always take the stairs and always park the car as far from work, as is feasible. Get off the bus or tram a few stops earlier and walk the rest. Tighten your stomach muscles, or raise and lower yourself on your toes to exercise calf muscles, while waiting in a queue.

We used to walk to school by ourselves, several kilometers sometimes. Many parents now drive their children because they say it’s a safety issue. Could you not walk your children or ride bikes to school together? It has the combined benefit of family fitness and time to speak with each other at length.

Quit making use of the moving sidewalk (travelator) at airports if your work involves a lot of air travel. Use the stairs in large buildings instead of the lifts and elevators, even if only for a few of the floors of that building.

Learn a couple of simple, yet highly effective, yoga, Pilates or stretching moves and before leaving your bedroom each morning, use a few of those moves as a 5-10 min. wake up routine.

March on the spot while watching television (and you said you don’t have time!), or get up during the advert breaks and do a few stretches or laps of the room. Make it a habit whenever an ad begins. Instead of watching your children play in the playground, sitting on a park bench, get up and push their swing or meet them at the bottom of the slide. Kick or throw balls with them. Walk around the track while you’re watching your children play soccer or athletic training.

Trade baby-sitting time with your sister or best friend. Get them to mind the children while you’re at the gym and vice versa. Is the same opportunity available at work? What could you trade with a colleague to give each other 30 mins. time-out to go for a good walk each day, or few times a week?

I’m sure that while reading some of these ideas it may have triggered a few of your own. Any of these activities are better than just giving in and saying that obesity is your lot in life. All the above is a lazy person’s guide to exercise. Anyone can create a healthy body habit by habit. You do not have to be Tarzan and Jane with the six-pack, at the local gym. Movement is movement.

Stagnation is stagnation. Choose!
©Thea Westra is an international life coach who resides in Perth, Western Australia and publishes a free, monthly e-zine http://www.forwardsteps.com.au

Thanks for reading,
Dan Gonzalez
Total Exercise
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Exercise Motivation - Staying Committed

Exercise motivation - do you have it? Newspapers, television, magazines and even the back of your cereal boxes are filled with all the reasons why you need to stay committed to fitness. Exercise - you know it is important, you even know you should do it, but some how you always fall short. You have the correct program, you know how to do the exercises and you have the equipment you need. What’s missing? The most vital part of the program - your motivation. Why is it so hard to stay motivated, to consistently keep a fitness program going? Most people do not stick with the program long enough for it to become a habit. With a few of the following tips and the right exercise motivation you can be exercising with the best of them.

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  First and foremost, why are you exercising? If you are only doing it because you were told to, you probably will not succeed. Most things we do have a purpose. We eat because we are hungry, we work to make money and so forth. You need to first develop a strong reason for why you exercise.
  
• Set both short term and long term goals for yourself. The long term goals are what you are striving for down the road. The short term goals are set to help you get there.
  
• Make sure you enjoy what you are doing. The program you use plays a big part in motivation. If you do not enjoy using dumbbells do not participate in a dumbbell training program. You are more likely to stay committed to something you enjoy doing.
  
• If you get bored with things quickly it is OK to change your activities or programs weekly. Just make sure they still meet your exercise goals.
  
• Try to workout with a partner they keep you motivated and help keep you company at the same time.
  
• Music can be great exercise motivation, download your favorite tunes onto an mp3 player and get moving.
  
• Try something new. Buy a new piece of equipment or exercise video. You could try a group exercise class at a local gym.
  
• Do you like your training environment? Going down into a musty dark basement to exercise would most likely not provide a lot of inspiration. Find some place you enjoy being and take your exercise with you.
  
• Try to avoid the “all or nothing principle”. Some days you may not be able to get your entire workout in. It is OK to do a small part of it. A common mistake people make, is they think because they do not have time to get their entire workout in they opt to do nothing. This will lead to a bad habit.
  
• Hire a personal trainer. They will keep you motivated and accountable. Like it or not spending money on something helps make it more important which in turn will provide higher motivation.
  
• Not sure you can write your own program? If you need to be held accountable without the high price of a personal trainer try an online personal training package. It is important to have a good support system in place. Not only should your family and friends support what you are doing they can join you. The days you lack exercise motivation you should be able to look to your family for added inspiration. Remember the “all or none principle” the same rules apply with the above exercise motivation tips. Do not try to add every one of them at once. Pick one or two and try to perfect them before adding more.
  
• Karen Skidmore, author, NATA certified Athletic Trainer and NCSF certified Personal Trainer owns and operates the Completely Fit Personal Training Company. Visit http://www.completely-fit.com/ for more information. For more great articles visit http://www.lifetime-fitness-routines.com

Hope you've enjoyed this article by Karen Skidmore.

Dan Gonzalez

Total Exercise

www.MyLittleRoomba.com

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